essay about cv

How To Write A Successful Essay About Your CV

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Writing A Successful CV Essay

A CV stands as your own personal ‘brochure’ when introducing yourself to a prospective employer. It needs to highlight your unique selling points in such a way that a prospective employer cannot wait to meet you. It should be concise, accurate, and truthful and tailored to the position you are applying for and importantly should be free from spelling and grammatical errors.

Layout And Format

Make sure that you try to stick to a maximum of two sides of A4 paper. Sometimes this can be difficult, think about the work experience that you have already, and relate it to the role that you are applying for. The key is making sure that the content is informative. Keep it simple and uncluttered. Use headings and bullet points to assist the reader. Do not add a photo or a border. Stick to one font that is clean (Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana are recommended with a font size of 10 – 12).

Get someone else to proof read, perhaps a lecturer; and that are no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. If the industry you wish to enter is artistic, you may want to be more creative but make sure that it still serves as the ultimate document to market your skills, experience, and overall suitability to a role.

Personal Details

This should be your name, address, email, telephone, mobile number, and nationality. There is no need to add your date of birth and a photograph. This may sound like common sense but ensure that all of your details are up-to-date and correct. Your email address should be appropriate and your application could be ignored if it is not.

You may wish to include information for your website or blog or even LinkedIn profile and this is not a bad idea. Employers will be able to access your work, see what you are capable of, and get a sense of your ideas and creativity. This may not relate to every role that you are applying for; a data entry role does not necessarily need you to demonstrate your writing skills but more your eye for detail.

Personal Statement

A personal statement can encourage an employer to read the rest of your CV. It is a summary of who you are. It should include:

• The industry you are interested in,
• What your unique skills and experiences are,
• Your areas of expertise

Always be original.

Education And Qualifications

Start with your most recent education and work backwards. You should detail your university degree and grade, college and A levels, then school and GCSEs. List key components from your degree such as modules that you have studied projects and the topic of your dissertation, to demonstrate how you fit with the specific requirements listed in the job description.

Work Experience

Start with the most recent and relevant; include the name of the company, location, and date of employment. Provide a brief description of what the role entailed but do not re-write the job description. Do not mention salary, this is something that you can discuss at the interview stage. Give examples of your work successes and achievements even if these were in a voluntary role or working in an area that does not relate to your chosen career path. Think about experience, that shows your work ethic and that you can work in a team. Cut out cliché phrases use verbs and prove your actions.

Interests And Achievements

Make this section as short as possible. Try to show the employer what type of person you are personality wise, but also highlight skills that are relevant to a certain role. Make sure that your interests reflect your personality. Some interests may relate to a job and can show that you are different from other applicants. What makes you stand out or encapsulates your personality or you as a person? Your achievements should be any awards, top classifications, scholarships, or impressive facts that may show leadership and successes.

Employers might not ask for some references at this stage. However, it is not a bad thing to state ‘references available on request’ as long as you make sure that you do have two references available when asked. Your referees should be one academic; this could be a lecturer or tutor and if possible one from your most recent employer.

Use Bullet Points - this helps make your CV look neater and not too bulky.

Use Action Verbs - in order to create an active and interesting document. Action verbs demonstrate something that you did. For instance:

• Acquired, allocated, arranged,
• Budgeted, balanced, briefed
• Coached, collected, clarified

Save More Than One Version - some employers may ask for your CV in a different format.

Address Gaps In Your CV - if you have not been in employment for more than three months then say how you been using that time. Do not mention anything that you consider as a failure, be positive, and say what you have learnt within that time.

Tailor your CV – move sections around and if there are certain requirements for a role that you have, make these more prominent. If you need to show your previous experience in a particular role, then embolden this point. Try to reflect that you have all or most of the skills asked for.

If your CV results in follow-ups and interviews - you will know that the format and content is correct for your profession, if you are not getting any positive response then review and amend.

Be confident, concise and tell the truth - If there is a specific achievement that you are most proud of, for example certain grade, make sure to feature them first. Appear positive, keep your details brief, and make sure that you are not giving altered information to make yourself look more suitable for a role. An employer will reject you based on misleading or inaccurate information.

  Never fold your CV – Most people send CVs online, however if you are handing out a paper copy do not fold it when handing it to a potential employer. It should be neat, crisp and presented in an envelope or plastic folder. Make sure that you never print double sided you may think that you are tricking an employer into only one side of A4, but it looks unprofessional and untidy.

Make sure that you have a covering letter to support your CV

LinkedIn – More and more companies are using LinkedIn to attract students, graduates, and young professionals. Therefore, having your CV on your profile or at least outlining your education, skills, and experience will help you when using social media in your job search.

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Curriculum Vitae: Personal Reflection Essay

Pillars of coaching, mentoring advantages.

Curriculum vitae are commonly known as a CV. CV is a marketing tool that contains your personal information, job history, skills, and achievements. A document that presents a candidate’s history in front of the employer in one or two pages is known as a CV. CV plays an important role in presenting a candidate’s personality in front of others. A CV is an appropriate marketing tool, which helps in promoting a candidate’s skills and capabilities, and a CV is a kind of broacher that lists the benefits of a particular service. Writing a CV is an important issue which a number of candidates do not consider important. Always view CV from employer’s point of view. Before writing a CV a person should ask the following question: Will I be able to stand in competition with other candidates and would the manager like to talk about a possible job? A nice, clear, and concise CV opens the door to a bright future. It’s a first step that helps in impressing an employer. A CV is an initial step with potential employers and opens the door. A CV is an essential tool in a job hunt, whenever a candidate needs to apply, CV is required in order to create a candidate’s first impression in the eyes of the employer. In the United States and Canada CV is considered as a document that includes a comprehensive listing of professional experience, in terms of employment, academic achievements, and other certifications. The following elements should be clearly listed in the CV: Header, Personal information, Contact details, Career Objectives, development of career objectives, Goal, and achievements, education and training, professional training.

The header contains your name, email, personal information with contact details, Career objectives state the type of work you desire, and some heart-hitting points which will prove that a candidate will be a perfect choice for a particular job. Visit the company website and note down all their product details and services and reflect objectives that are used in a job that the candidate applying for. Education and training include your degree and training, school details where candidate graduated, certification, and awards, candidate should review literature by Smith which states that the education and training section should include educational qualifications. Over 80% of recruiters felt that major grades and information all schools attended should appear on resumes. Area of interest, details of degree and other relevant details, professional training, and courses should be listed in the resume. Following tips would be helpful in writing a cover letter, there could be three to four paragraphs in a cover letter, the first paragraph must contain the reason for applying for a job, the second paragraph should contain complete details of skills, the third paragraph must show interest in the position, and the fourth paragraph must contain closing off letter. There is a number of skills that have worth in eyes of employers, some of them are: communication skills, interpersonal skills, computer skills, work experience, analytical skills, GPA/ academics, career focus, writing skills. Extra circular activities also add life to your resume like leadership, teamwork, creativity, captain of a baseball team. Affiliation with certain professional associations and relevant affiliations to the company make your CV impressive. The achievement section includes what the candidate did, for whom, result, event when the candidate was a successful job description, feedback, think back. A candidate must show excellent verbal and communication skills, good customer service, and proficiency in MS word, good work ethics, and phone skills in order to get a job. Every candidate desire to be employed in an established organization and the organization strength totally depends on leadership and management.

Every employee in an organization should indorse some efforts in organization’s benefits. Complete management of an organization should be united and work for achieving a common goal. Unfortunately, in number of organizations a huge number of employees are not properly trained for jobs, there is a strong need to provide training to number of employees for respective jobs. This need doesn’t only lies for workplaces, but hospitals, learning institutions and correctional centers also require mentors and coaches in order to train their employees. Mentoring and coaching has nevertheless similar to one another. Brock bank (2006) stated that mentoring and coaching should be provided to all employees under managerial control. Mentoring is a relationship between more or less experiences professional as elucidated. In order to establish and increase productivity of an organization mentoring and training should be provided to all employees. The primary goal of mentoring process is to increase employee’s and organization’s productivity. It also helps in decision making and tremendous improvement at organizational level. It has been observed that in number of organizations not all employees are suitable for jobs. If a new student enters in university, new candidate needs guidance and support from his seniors and mentors, the first problem usually student faces is inability in communicating in English. There are some responsibilities of mentor towards it mentee; First of all, mentor must know that which direction should be steer in whole mentoring and coaching process. The first step of mentor is to create healthy relationship with mentee. At the initial stage mentee need to solve some problems on his own. The mentee is on safe side when mentor exactly knows the difficulty area and how to resolve problems. Second step on which mentor needs to work is to make mentee familiar with location and environment. The mentor can provide resources in order to make mentee familiar with locations and environment. A critical aspect in assessment of mentoring and coaching is to evaluate success and failure of both phenomena. Good methods, techniques and problem skills are usually cultivated when the process is successful. The third step of mentoring is totally focused on adoption of mentee into the new system.

There are seven building blocks of mentoring and coaching according to Megnision et al (2006). Numerous steps are involve which are as follows: identifying the need of process, collecting supporting evidence, target setting, setting a plan how to achieve targets, find out the possible opportunities, observing feedback, and setting an optimal support for any observed setbacks. This systematic approach proposes an ideal solution of certain problems,. The GROW (Goal, reality, opportunity and will) model provides ambitions and targets. Willpower and goal orientation helps a lot in achieving targets. The last step of mentoring should pose a will for next course of action. A mentoring program, will involve the mentor and mentee getting know each other and share experiences. There are number of formal and informal programs. Under formal mentoring an organization can hire professionals and experienced personal in order to train individuals at organizational level. A firm can also relate training programs to mentoring under formal mentoring. Informal mentoring is quite different to formal mentoring; under informal mentoring the firm is liberty to provide skills through networking program and awarding experienced staff who offer mentoring services while being on job. Informal mentoring is always beneficial for university students.

Properly conducted mentoring process is always beneficial for individuals as well as for organizations. It reduces diversity issues by enhancing employee’s skills and capabilities and provide them confidence. Mentoring and coaching plays an important role in organization’s benefits. The process when effectively done always brings positive changes in organization’s benefits.

CV presents candidate’s impression in front of employers. CV writing is one of the most important steep in getting a job. Number of tips is available for guidance in order to get new and good jobs. It has seen that CV’s usually focus on academic qualification and experiences with the combination of achievements but it should more focused on career objectives and challenging aspects. CV’s should be concise and impressive with good language and designing skills. In regard to presentation, there was nothing stated about challenges and turning points in career life. It was unclear as overall purpose of presentation is to teach how to write cover letters and resume, adults are still unknown that why they should learn something before training begins. There should be some research perspective in order to make assessment better. The whole presentations are based on introductory points, there should little more literature support in order to make it effective and impressive. Educating students how to make CV and cover letter for job hunt is an excellent topic but it should be some literature based examples to show how creative CV’s helps in getting a good job. Different writing styles with CV designing should include in this assessment and teachers must choose suitable writing style according to student’s needs. There must be some linkage material with an online advertisement, this assessment should include an objective to educate students how to response on an online add i.e. according to relevant vacancy, how you can alter your CV in order to show interest in relevant area.

There should be one section on changing employer’s demand and how to impress employer in short time in interview. Teachers and professional must include few of their own experiences. Overall, the literature was good and fully supported by literature which facilitated learning process and assessment a lot. There are number of international students who found difficulties in writing resumes and cover letter. Presentation and material was too good but there should be some extra activity at the end of session for students so that students can demonstrate all their learning in hard format. There should be little activity of discussion with audience at the end of session so all can feel a part of session. Meyers and Jones et al, in Auster et al (2006) stated that theory and concepts are strongly emphasized by active learning, and can work effectively by involving students in the learning process through the use of “problem-solving exercises and little debates, informal small groups, simulations, case studies, role-playing, and other related activities. Overall, assessment was superb but there didn’t provide any exercise or debate session in order to get audience feedback and participation. Presentation and other material didn’t provide a feedback or sample resumes cover letter of highly skilled professionals for student’s idea. There must be some properly cited examples, highly skilled professionals’ resumes and cover letter. There must be little section for personal experiences by professionals and seniors. Trainer must have a strong eye contact through out the session so that trainer can get feedback from audience.

CV is a marketing tool which presents you in front of employers. Clear and attractive CV, resumes and cover letters attract employers towards candidate. Every candidate must understand the importance of CV, Resume and cove letter format and content in job hunt. There are some tips which ever candidate must keep in mind while writing a CV. Cover letter and resume are important in order to get good jobs. Mentoring and coaching process train people for their particular job roles. Mentoring and coaching process are really important for organization’s benefit. The overall assessment was tremendous and it will help a lot to new students. Although, there is a wide room for improvement in material which includes: Samples letter of professionals, writing styles, how to respond against an advertisement, some interview guideline etc. Overall, it provides useful tips and techniques and a perfect guideline for CV, resume and cover letter writing. Mentoring and coaching has number of advantages at individual and organizational level. Still, there is an enough space for improvement by which the whole program will work more effectively. Every candidate must memorize it that you are a product in front of employer and a candidate need to advertise himself in a most valid way. Before writing a CV or cover letter one must need to follow all tips and techniques of making attractive and impressive CV. Suggestion, presentations, and guidelines helps lot o university students and provide bridge to all beginners.

Brock bank A., & McGill, I. (2006). Facilitating reflective learning through mentoring & coaching. New York: Kogan Page Publishers.

Megginson, D., Clutter buck, D., Garvey, B. , Stokes, P. & Garrett-Harris R. (2006). Mentoring in action: A practical guide for managers . New York: Kogan Page Publishers.

Meyers, C. & Jones, T.B. (1993). Promoting active learning: Strategies for the college classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing the Curriculum Vitae

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout provides an overview of strategies for writing an effective curriculum vitae. This topic is particularly important for graduate students who are entering the academic job market for the first time. Although there is some overlap between the two resources, this handout should serve as a supplement to the suggestions available from Purdue's Center for Career Opportunities .

What is a Curriculum Vitae?

Also called a CV or vita, the curriculum vitae is, as its name suggests, an overview of your life's accomplishments, most specifically those that are relevant to the academic realm. In the United States, the curriculum vitae is used almost exclusively when one is pursuing an academic job. The curriculum vitae is a living document, which will reflect the developments in a scholar/teacher's career, and thus should be updated frequently.

How is a CV different from a resume?

The most noticeable difference between most CVs and most resumes is the length. Entry level resumes are usually limited to a page. CVs, however, often run to three or more pages. (Remember, however, that length is not the determinant of a successful CV. You should try to present all the relevant information that you possibly can, but you should also try to present it in as concise a manner as possible.) A more subtle but equally important distinction is that whereas the goal of a resume is to construct a professional identity, the goal of a CV is quite specifically to construct a scholarly identity. Thus, your CV will need to reflect very specifically your abilities as a teacher, researcher, and publishing scholar within your discipline.

What should I include?

Your CV should include your name and contact information, an overview of your education, your academic and related employment (especially teaching,editorial, or administrative experience), your research projects (including conference papers and publications), and your departmental and community service. You should also include a reference list, either as part of your CV, or on a separate page. Also, if you have a dossier containing confidential references available, you should mention that on your CV as well.

What comes first depends both on your background and on the job for which you are applying. Typically, the first item on a CV for a job candidate directly out of grad school will start with the candidate's education listed in reverse chronological order. Frequently the title and even a brief description of the dissertation will be included in this portion. After that, you will want to determine both what the jobs that you are interested in require and where your strengths lie. When determining what comes after your educational credentials, remember that the earlier in your document a particular block of information comes, the more emphasis you will be placing on that block of information. Thus, the most important information should come first.

If you are applying at a research university, research projects, conference presentations, and especially publications become very important. If you are applying to a liberal arts college or community college that strongly emphasizes teaching, then showing your teaching background is of paramount importance. In any case, you will want to be sure that the information that will be most helpful in determining your qualifications for the job for which you are employing comes before information that will be less helpful.

Is there a standard curriculum vitae format?

One of the most important things to remember when working on your curriculum vitae is that there is not one standard format. There are different emphases in each discipline, and a good CV is one that emphasizes the points that are considered to be most important in your discipline and conforms to standard conventions within your discipline.

So how can you find out what these conventions are? A good place to start is to find as many examples as possible of CVs by people in your discipline who have recently been on the job market. You can find these by asking other grad students and junior faculty in your department if you can have a look at their CVs, and you can also make use of the Internet to find CV samples in your discipline.

Resources such as The Curriculum Vitae Handbook by Rebecca Anthony and Gerald Roe (Rudi Publishing: Iowa City, 1994) also include sample CVs for various disciplines. One caveat to remember regarding examples, however, is that they should never be used as models to be followed in every detail. Instead, they should be used as sources of strategies for how to present your own information most effectively. The most effective formatting for you will likely be distinguishable from the most effective formatting for someone else because your experiences and strengths will be different, and you will thus benefit from formatting adapted specifically to your situation.

How should I construct my work description entries?

Two common strategies that apply to CVs as well as resumes are gapping and parallelism . Gapping is the use of incomplete sentences in order to present your information as clearly and concisely as possibly. For example, instead of writing, "I taught composition for four years, during which time I planned classes and activities, graded papers, and constructed exams. I also met with students regularly for conferences," you might write, "Composition Instructor (2000-2004). Planned course activities. Graded all assignments. Held regular conferences with students." By using incomplete sentences here, you cut out unnecessary words and allow your reader to see quickly what you have been doing.

Parallelism is also very important to a strong CV. Generally, you will want to keep the structure of your phrases and/or sentences consistent throughout your document. Thus, if you use verb phrases in one portion of your CV to describe your duties, try to use them throughout your CV. Particularly within entries, make sure that the structure of your phrases is exactly parallel so that your reader can understand what you are communicating easily.

One distinction between the work description sections of resumes and CVs is that bullets are very commonly used in resumes and tend to appear somewhat less frequently in CVs. Whether or not you use bullets to separate lines in your CV should depend on how the bullets will affect the appearance of your CV. If you have a number of descriptive statements about your work that all run to about a line in length, bullets can be a good way of separating them. If, however, you have a lot of very short phrases, breaking them up into bulleted lists can leave a lot of white space that could be used more efficiently. Remember that the principles guiding any decision you make should be conciseness and ease of readability.

How can I improve my CV?

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab provides the opportunity to work with one of our graduate instructors in order to get some assistance with your CV, and many other universities offer similar opportunities through their writing centers. Also, consider showing your CV to your dissertation chair in order to get some feedback from him/her. Finally, many departments have job search or job placement committees that provide you with the opportunity to meet with faculty members in your department for extensive editing. If such a resource is available for you, that may be the best source of advice of all.

What other resources are available for help with my curriculum vitae?

There are numerous useful resources, both online and in print. Here are a few.

The Chronicle of Higher Education 's job site features a number of articles that may be helpful to first-time applicants on the job market.

The Curriculum Vitae Handbook by Rebecca Anthony and Gerald Roe (Rudi Publishing: Iowa City, 1994) includes sample CVs for various disciplines and tips for how to write CVs in various contexts.

The Academic Job Search Handbook (3rd Edition), by Mary Morris Heiberger and Julia Miller Vick (who are the authors of the Chronicle 's "CV Doctor" column) also provides sample cover letters and CVs

Curricula Vitae (CVs) versus Resumes

What this handout is about.

This handout explains what a curriculum vitae (CV) is, how it differs from a resume, and how you can decide which one to use. It also includes a list of campus resources, helpful online tips, and recommended reference books. (Please note that this handout covers American usage of the terms “CV” and “resume.” The word “resume” may also be spelled “resumé” or “résumé.”)

Before you start

To decide whether to submit a CV or a resume, you will need to determine which of them most appropriately fits the criteria provided by the employer, grant agency, or scholarship or internship committee who will be reading your application. Often, the application instructions for a particular position will state whether a CV or resume is requested. If you are unsure, it is worth your time to contact the agency and ask which would be most appropriate for the position.

What is the difference between a resume and a CV? What do they typically include?

Let’s start with a quick overview of resumes, since they are more familiar to most American writers than CVs. A typical resume is a general and concise introduction of your experiences and skills as they relate to a particular career or position that you are aiming to acquire. As such, a resume may have to be altered for each position that you are applying for so as to emphasize those skills and experiences most relevant to the work. Resumes are usually no more than one page in length. They are often accompanied by cover letters , which provide a permanent written record of the transmittal of the resume (what is being sent, to whom it is being sent, and who sent it).

A typical resume will include the following information:

• Name and Contact Information: your residential address might be most appropriate, especially if you do not want your current employer to know that you are looking for another job!
• Education: a listing of your degrees or certifications and educational institutions or programs.
• Work Experience: names of the companies or organizations that you have worked for, the location of each company, the dates worked, your job title, and duties performed.

In contrast, a CV is a fairly detailed overview of your life’s accomplishments, especially those most relevant to the realm of academia. As such, these documents have their greatest utility in the pursuit of a job in academia or research. Because academic researchers are often working on and completing many projects and teaching responsibilities simultaneously, it is wise to think of a CV as a living document that will need to be updated frequently. A typical CV for someone in the beginning stages of their graduate school career might only be two or three pages in length, while the number of pages of a more seasoned researcher’s CV may run into the double digits. In both CVs and resumes, information within sections is usually organized chronologically.

A typical CV will include the following information:

• Name and Contact Information: contact information for your current institution or place of employment may work best, unless you do not want your colleagues to know that you are job-hunting.
• Areas of Interest: a listing of your varied academic interests.
• Education: a list of your degrees earned or in progress, institutions, and years of graduation. You may also include the titles of your dissertation or thesis here.
• Grants, Honors and Awards: a list of grants received, honors bestowed upon you for your work, and awards you may have received for teaching or service.
• Publications and Presentations: a list of your published articles and books, as well presentations given at conferences. If there are many of both, you might consider having one section for publications and another for presentations.
• Employment and Experience: this section may include separate lists of teaching experiences, laboratory experiences, field experiences, volunteer work, leadership, or other relevant experiences.
• Scholarly or Professional Memberships: a listing of the professional organizations of which you are a member. If you have held an office or position in a particular organization, you can either say so here or leave this information for the experience section.
• References: a list of persons who write letters of recommendations for you, which includes their contact information.

Additional considerations

Use common sense when formatting.

There are no universal guidelines for how to format or organize a resume or CV. However, some commonsense guidelines may apply. If you are concerned that your resume or CV might appear too busy or misaligned, click on Print Preview in your word processing program and evaluate the consistency of your use of space in the document.

Fonts and font sizes: go with the flow

It is a good idea to stick to commonly used fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial when creating a resume or CV. Fonts such as Bauhaus or Old English Text might have their place in other writing projects, but these might distract the reader and pull their attention away from the content you want them to read. Perhaps with the exception of your name, the use of a uniform font size throughout the document will also keep the reader focused on your accomplishments.

Seek and evaluate examples

Many professors and professionals have posted their CVs and resumes to online faculty web pages, bulletin boards, and employee profile pages on corporate websites. These documents, often posted as Adobe PDF files, are useful templates for designing your own CV or resume. It is best to search for a CV or resume of an individual who shares your field, discipline, or interests, as it will provide you with a model that most closely approximates what your final document might look like.

Campus resources at UNC

University career services (careers.unc.edu).

At University Career Services, located on the second floor of Hanes Hall, you will find a friendly staff and a thorough assortment of resources for creating and sharpening your CV or resume. Individual appointments are also available. In addition, Career Services offers some online resources to help with your CV or resume.

UNC General Alumni Association (alumni.unc.edu)

Do you expect to graduate in the foreseeable future? In addition to making an appointment with University Career Services before throwing your cap in the air, a visit to the Career Services branch of the UNC General Alumni Association in the George Watts Hill Alumni Center might turn into a wise career move. After graduation, members of the GAA are eligible to receive resume tips and samples, as well as to take advantage of their resume posting service.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Jackson, Acy, and Kathleen Geckeis. 2003. How to Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae , 3rd ed. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill.

Rosenburg, Arthur. 2007. Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes and Cover Letters for Every Situation , 5th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Adams Media.

Thompson, Mary Anne. 2000. The Global Resume and CV Guide . Ridgewood, NJ: Wiley.

Vick, Julia Miller, Jennifer Furlong, Rosanne Lurie, and Mary Morris Heiberger. 2016. The Academic Job Search Handbook , 4th ed. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How To Write A Resume Essay

Writing a resume essay is a tricky thing to do. It can be  difficult for even experienced writers  to create an interesting, persuasive piece that appeals to employers. That is why it is so common to use templates or generic resumes with tweaks here and there.  

However, this may not work in every situation! If your career has some major changes coming up (or maybe you just don’t like what you are writing at the moment), then it is worth looking into other types of resumes.

If yours need revamping, there are many ways to go about doing it. The best way depends on your personal style, what messages you want to send, and how you feel about yourself as a person.

Create a good outline for your resume essay

Now that you have done some research, gathered some samples, and organized all of your materials, it is time to start writing!

When writing a resume essay, there are several components that must be established first. These include an introduction, body, and a conclusion.

The introduction should tell who you are and what you want to achieve with your career.  This is followed by the body, which is typically where you describe past experiences. The body can also be used to emphasize why you are qualified for a position and how well you performed during previous jobs. Your conclusion reiterates your goal and describes how you will contribute to the employer’s company as a member of the staff.

With this structure in place, now you can begin writing about yourself and your achievements. Stay focused and try to use examples that relate to the job opening they represent.

Use an eye-catching title

Now that you have addressed the overall structure of your resume essay, it is time to think about what to include in your resume. While some employers may not read beyond the first few lines of your application, they will probably spend several minutes reading through your career highlights and achievements.

As such, it is important to make sure that these things can be seen easily by potential employers. The trick is to pick a strong theme or focus each body paragraph on, then use this focused content as supporting examples.

Your goal should be to create a powerful overall message which inspires action. If possible, refer back to the initial body paragraph or bullet point to reinforce this. Make sure to organize your thoughts and writing process to flow naturally without too much interruption.

General rules apply when proofreading and editing your work, so be careful to stick to them! Avoid using short forms or slang words. Use appropriate grammar and vocabulary to convey messages clearly.

Begin writing

Now that you have done some research, gathered your thoughts, and picked your career goal or career field, it is time to start writing!

Your resume should be a concise document that leaves no room for interpretation. It should grab their attention within the first few lines and show off your skills and achievements clearly.

Do not underestimate how much content matters in a successful resume, so make sure to keep that tip in mind as you write. Make sure to include enough details about yourself and your career goals.

Make sure to proofread your essay several times to ensure that there are no mistakes.

Ideas about what to write on the main body

Now that you have addressed how to begin, you will want to know what to include in the body of your essay. You should devote at least two paragraphs to this step!

In the first paragraph, you can discuss why you are qualified for a position. It is important to emphasize your strengths, but also note any weaknesses or areas where you feel you do not possess enough knowledge.

You may also mention some experiences or achievements that are related to the job posting. For example, if the advertisement asked whether you had supervised employees before, then you could talk about a project as an intern or assistant manager.

Your second paragraph should be dedicated to discussing how well you fit into the organization’s culture. This includes things such as whether you would be able to handle their current projects, and if there are any opportunities available to you.

If possible, add testimonials and references from past employers or colleagues. These proofs help bolster your confidence and message, while also supporting your case.

Even if you use templates, it is not the same as writing yourself! Your career will depend on how well you represent yourself, so make sure yours says good things about you.

Include examples of achievements that show who you are as a person. Tell stories that emphasize your strengths. Include testimonials and proof of success.

Remember, this essay does not have to be longer than one page, but it should be full of information. Take your time and edit out anything that you do not feel fits.

Good luck with all of your applications! May God bless you richly.

How Many Jobs Do You Need To Put On A Resume

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How to describe yourself in your CV

When you submit your CV to a potential employer, you want it to speak volumes about your skills, qualifications and your personality. The problem is, describing yourself and letting your personality shine through on just one (or two) A4 pages can be tricky.

If this sounds like a familiar struggle, there’s good news! There are several things you can do to effectively describe yourself on your CV and boost your chances of landing your dream job – and we’re going to look at these below.

Describe yourself in your CV profile

• Example CV profiles

Describe yourself in your work experience

Power words to describe yourself.

CV templates 

Sitting right at the top of your CV is your personal profile . Not only is this the first thing the recruiter will see, but it also offers you the perfect place to describe yourself.

Your profile acts as an introduction; your elevator pitch , if you will, which is why it needs to grab the recruiter’s attention. It affords you the chance to highlight your key selling points and provide impressive facts and figures to back these up.

To describe yourself here…

• Give readers the highlights: Talk about your most impressive high-level achievements , for example, what qualifications do you have? Or how long have you worked in your industry?
• Sell yourself: Don’t be afraid to brag a little by using powerful verbs to describe your skills and expertise.
• Describe the benefits of hiring you: More importantly than talking about yourself, is talking about how your work helps employers. For example, do you save them money? Boost profits? Or help them to improve services and products? This is what recruiters really want to know.

Example profiles

With so much riding on your personal profile, you want to get it right. Otherwise, you might find that your application is repeatedly passed over.

To help you create a powerful personal profile that effectively describes who you are and why you’re so great, we’ve pulled together a number of example profiles below:

Admin profile

This is an example of a great personal profile for several reasons. Firstly, by highlighting their key skills, which are relevant to the role this early on, they are helping the recruiter to quickly see that they are a good fit for the role. This is particularly important as they will scan over your CV in a matter of seconds. This is also a good technique in case your CV is going through an ATS or screening tool.

Not only this but by talking about their fast-track promotions, they are able to show their professional growth. It also indicates that they are a dependable employee with a commitment to providing great work.

Customer service profile

In this example, the writer leads with their experience and quantifies this in years to show the span of their impressive career in the customer service industry.

They also demonstrate that they are passionate about their career, in this case in technology and highlight the key skills that are relevant to the role throughout, which, as we know, quickly proves to recruiters that they are a good match for the position.

Student profile

This student starts their profile strong by stating that they are bi-lingual, which is a highly sought-after skill in lots of professions.

They also talk about their extracurricular activities , which shows that they are proactively pursuing their personal passions, as well as doing all they can to bolster their knowledge in subject areas relevant to the role. This shows they are keen to learn, which is something employers are always looking for in an employee.

As well as your personal profile, your work experience section gives you another chance to describe yourself and showcase your best qualities.

Rather than simply listing your job title and employer, you have the chance to add context to your experience. You should use the following structure and to provide a pleasant reading experience and give recruiters all the information they are looking for.

Once again use facts and figures to increase the accuracy of your descriptions and highlight how you’ve added real value to past roles.

For example, rather than saying ‘managed the company’s social media accounts’, you could say ‘managed the company’s four key social media accounts, which led to a 66% increase in engagement and followers over six months’.

If you are struggling to describe yourself with impact, steal some of our power words  from below to give your CV a boost.

Employers love to hire people who can make improvements to their team, business, products, systems or services etc.

Use this term to describe what positive impacts you have made for previous employers.

“Improved the staff booking process by decreasing the amount of steps required to make a booking”

Companies and organisations have limited resources, whether they are money, supplies, people, or anything else.

If you can reduce the waste of valuable resources, then you should be highlighting it in your CV.

“Arranged new office supplies which reduced budget spend by 25% every month”

The ability to coach others is valuable in all lines of work, so try to  include  mentions of this key word in your CV, if you can.

“Coached junior team members to improve their skills and increase work quality across team”

Good products and services start as ideas and then need to be developed by good people, to bring them to life.

Show your involvement in development wherever possible in your CV

“Developed a new product feature which enabled users to decrease wastage by 20%”

Launching products and services is crucial for commercial businesses, so be sure to highlight your involvement in launches.

“Launched 3 new products in year one and generated £900k in sales”

Accomplished

Accomplishments drive success, so be sure to show recruiters what you have achieved in your CV.

“Led a major research project and accomplished a major discovery in the energy saving field”

Training new staff is a crucial element of growing a business or team – showing instances where you have trained staff is always impressive.

“Trained all new staff in the use of new IT systems and office processes.”

The power of influence is a great way to drive productivity and results – if you are able to influence others and achieve positive outcomes, write about it in your CV

“Influencing colleagues to record more sales data by producing weekly “good news stories” emails”

Negotiation is a powerful tool in business, and not just for sales-people. Perhaps you have negotiated better terms from a supplier, or negotiated more budget from a stakeholder – any impressive negotiating you have done, is worth a mention in the CV.

“Negotiated longer payment terms with suppliers, freeing up short-term cash for other expenses”

Employers will always welcoming savings, whether they are financial savings, saving resources, or saving time. Use facts and figures to show any savings you have made in previous roles.

“Saved 30 hours of writer resource time by introducing new article templates and guidance”

To leverage, means to “use something to it’s full advantage” – so use this phrase to give examples of your resourcefulness.

“Leveraged existing customer relationships to gain referrals for new customers by launching referral reward scheme”

To secure something for an employer is an impressive feat. If you’ve secure anything for previous employers, whether it be business, data or exclusive rates, mention it in your CV.

“Secured top tier event venues for our marketing events for the next 3 years”

Networking with colleagues, stakeholders, customers and suppliers can allow you to build strong relationships and generate better results from them.

“Liaised with a number of large-account clients to discover more business needs and upsell services”

If you are in a management position, you need to delegate tasks effectively, so that you can dedicate your time to high-value work.

“Delegated admin tasks to junior staff, to allow senior team members more time for client management duties”

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Top tips: how to write a perfect CV and cover letter

Our experts share their advice on writing a successful CV and cover letter

• CV templates to fit every stage of your career
• Cover letter tips: expert advice for graduates
• Looking for a job? Explore the range of vacancies on Guardian Jobs and find the perfect role for you

A profile section is always necessary: For practically all types of jobseeker a profile section is a very good idea: it gives a brief introduction about you and your background, and gives you an excellent opportunity to sell your application. Include the most relevant and standout facts about you which match you to the job being advertised. Write one or two sentences that summarise your experience, skills, and perhaps a standout achievement. To be concise, merge your personal statement with your skill areas to make your profile even more striking.

Clare Whitmell, qualified business communication trainer

Have structure in your job search: Create a spreadsheet, start with industries you're interested in, then take each industry individually, and identify employers within the sector. Use job sites to build a list of target companies, and start finding out who you need to talk to in each. Methodically send your CV, tailoring it and your cover letter to the role (or company if it's a speculative application). It will take time and commitment, but it will help you structure your jobseeking campaign.

Lydia Fairman, HR and resourcing specialist, and owner of Fairman Consulting

Talk through your CV with a friend: A competency-based CV is pretty much what you need for all CVs now. It means that instead of just writing a list of your previous duties, you look at exactly what the employer says they are asking for and you show that you have what they need. My suggestion is go through each one of their selection criteria and think of where you have demonstrated it. It is helpful to talk it over with a friend or coach as sometimes it can be difficult to think of examples yourself.

Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management

Work experience is becoming vital for graduate applications: In a graduate CV you should be able to demonstrate your excellent academic credentials along with some work experience/internships/voluntary engagements you may have undertaken parallel to your degree. Work experience is becoming more and more important for employers when they screen potential candidates for graduate full-time positions.

Dasha Amrom, founder and managing director of Career Coaching Ventures

Write your cover letter in the body of the email: The email is the first impression that you will give a recruiter. Therefore you are going to need to give some information about yourself and why you're right for the role. Too many times I see the comment: "I am applying for X role and attach my covering letter and CV". I'd like to see something about you in the email. I'd also like to see a cover letter as well. Emails have a tendency to be seen as having little value compared with a letter. So why not include a cover letter as well that goes into more detail than the email.

Jonathan Burston, founder of Interview Expert Academy

Do your research when applying abroad: If you'd like to work abroad then by all means do start exploring opportunities. However, if you are looking abroad because you think you can't find work here, then I'd suggest spending time investigating the line of work you want to do, which organisations you'd like to work for, and what ways you could break into the sector. Depending on what you're looking to do, don't discount small businesses or startups as a way of getting started, if it seems competition for places at the larger companies is fierce.

Sarah Byrne, online editor, Careershifters

Seek work experience in your chosen field: A good route for voluntary experience is to look at the website of your local volunteer centre. Usually you can select the kind of experience you want – research, policy work, administration, or frontline work. Or perhaps offer the research skills from your degree to a local charity who might jump at the chance to commission a short project and give you more of an insight into social research.

Lizzie Mortimer is a careers consultant for the University of Edinburgh

Use numbers to back up CV examples: It is quite important to concisely provide examples of your best work, often from a numbers perspective. If this can be packed with your key skills this will enable your CV to reach the top of a CV search. For example, if I am looking for a front end web developer with Java, JavaScript, CSS, HTML etc., I will search all those key terms as well as location. Using numbers to back up examples will help push your CV to the top of the pile when recruiters are searching.

Oliver Meager, head of the permanent hiring division at Capita IT Resourcing

Key words are essential for competency-based CVs: Key words are essential today, if only to get past the software scans. Don't spam your CV though by repeating tracts from the advert unnecessarily – you'll be rejected before anyone's even read your application. Examples are always good – try to show a good story about why you're doing this line of work, why this job is the next step for you. Add information which supports your assessment of the key competencies required for that role.

Jon Gregory is a job search, application and interview coach

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional . To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Careers update .

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Academic Personal Statement Guide + Examples for 2024

You have a bright future ahead of you in academia and you’ve already found the program of your dreams.

The only problem? 

You have to write an impressive academic personal statement that sets you apart from a sea of applicants.

We know that writing about yourself might not come naturally. And when the academic program you have your sights set on is on the line, it doesn’t make it any easier.

But there’s no need to worry!

We’ve prepared this guide to help you write your academic personal statement and secure your spot in your program of choice.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• What Is An Academic Personal Statement?
• 7 Steps to Writing the Best Academic Personal Statement
• An Example of a Stellar Academic Personal Statement

Let’s dive in.

You’ll need an academic CV alongside your personal statement. Create one with ease with Novorésumé !

What Is an Academic Personal Statement?

A personal statement is an essential part of the academic application process.

Much like a motivation letter , your academic personal statement serves to demonstrate why you’re the right candidate for the course and sell yourself as a capable student.

Your goal is to show the admissions committee that they’ll benefit from having you in their university as much as you’ll benefit from joining the program.

Academic Vs CV Personal Statement

The term ‘personal statement’ can mean different things depending on your field.

In the world of job hunting, a personal statement usually refers to a few sentences that go at the top of your CV . This paragraph is meant to convey your top skills, relevant experiences, and professional goals to a hiring manager from the get-go and increase your chances of getting an interview.

However, in the world of academia, a personal statement refers to a more in-depth description of you as a candidate. 

In a nutshell, an academic personal statement shows the admissions committee your academic achievements so far, as well as what motivated you to apply and pursue this position.

Personal statements are also often required when applying for certain jobs, much like writing a cover letter . If you’re looking at a position as a faculty member in a university or other academic institution, for example, you might be asked to provide an academic personal statement.

7 Steps to Write an Academic Personal Statement

Preparation is the key to success and this is exactly where our guide comes in handy.

So just follow these steps and you’re sure to secure your spot:

#1. Read the Brief (Carefully!)

Academic personal statements aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all piece of writing. 

Typically, every institution has its specific requirements on what candidates should include in their academic personal statement.

To make sure you’re on the right track with your academic personal statement, read the brief carefully. Consider taking notes and highlighting important points from your program’s brief as you go through it.

Pay attention to any specific question the university wants you to answer. If you don’t address everything the admissions board expects, your personal statement will look sloppy and you’ll be considered an inattentive candidate.

Be sure to re-read the brief after you’ve finished writing your academic personal statement, too. This way you can make sure you’ve answered everything adequately and you’ll have the opportunity to correct any slips.

#2. Research the Program

Make sure you do your homework on the academic program you’re applying to.

You can’t write a good academic personal statement without research, let alone a great one. Much like researching your employer , taking the time to learn more about your desired school and personalizing your application can make a huge difference.

For example, you can dive into how your values align with that of the school you’re applying to, and how your experience and interests relate to specific things about the program. The more you focus on how you’re the right fit for this specific position, in this specific program – the better.

Carefully read through the school and program’s official pages since everything you would need to know is probably on the school’s official website. You can also ask current and former students for help but remember that whatever they say should never replace official information when crafting your academic personal statement.

#3. Plan Your Statement

An academic personal statement is meant to explain your academic interests and shouldn’t contain irrelevant details about your personal life.

Focus on why you want to study the course you’ve chosen and provide any information about your achievements so far.

Ask yourself the following questions to get the ball rolling on what to write:

• Why do you want to study (or work) in this program? How will it benefit you?
• How do your skills match the position?
• What makes you stand out from other applicants?
• What are your exact career aspirations?
• How can you and your work benefit the institution you’re applying to?
• If you changed fields, how did you decide to apply in this direction?
• What insight can you bring thanks to your different experiences?
• How will this change of field help your future career?

Write down your answer to these questions in the first draft of your academic personal statement.

#4. Look at Example Statements

Don’t hesitate to read other people’s academic personal statements online. They’re a great source of inspiration and can help get rid of any remaining writer’s block.

If you’re struggling to understand how to meet the language and formatting requirements for your academic personal statement, seeing actual examples is the best way to learn.

But be careful – don’t copy any lines you read, no matter how impressive you think they are. 

Most universities run every academic personal statement through intensive plagiarism checking, and even a paraphrased sentence could lead to your application being rejected for plagiarism.

So pay more attention to the overall structure of the academic personal statements you read, rather than copying the exact wording.

#5. Structure the Contents

There should be a cohesive argument that your entire essay follows. Each sentence and paragraph should complement and build on the one that comes before it.

The structure of your personal statement should include:

An intriguing introduction to you as a candidate

The introductory paragraph should grab the admission committee’s attention and keep them engaged.

Here you should be sure to avoid cliches like saying how you’ve “always dreamt” of graduating from this university or of studying this exact program. Instead, give an example of what really influenced you to pursue this dream.

Here’s an example:

• I’ve always loved reading and since I was a child, it’s been my dream to graduate from Oxford University and contribute to the world of literary analysis. That’s why I spent the past year volunteering at my local writers’ society and giving constructive feedback during workshops and book discussions.
• It wasn’t until I failed my first essay assignment in secondary school that I realized the depth that lies beneath each sentence in a given text. I began to delve into the rich layers of literary texts and the intricacies of literary analysis became my passion. Although initially challenging, the depth of understanding that this field offers about human emotions, cultural contexts, and narrative structures enthralled me. I found myself questioning the narrative structures and character motivations that I had previously taken for granted, and I was eager to understand how the subtle and often overlooked elements within a text could have a profound impact on its overall interpretation. This need to fundamentally understand a given author’s work has stayed with me since and led me to pursue literary analysis as a postgraduate student.

An engaging body

The main part of your academic personal statement should detail your interests, experience, and knowledge, and how they make you suitable for the position.

This is where you should expand on your motivation and use the following tips:

• Why this university? Provide strong reasons for your choice, related to your future career or the institution’s reputation.
• Mention your relevant studies and experience. This includes projects, dissertations, essays, or work experience.
• Give evidence of key skills you have, such as research, critical thinking, communication, and time management, and explain how you can contribute to the department with them.
• Say what makes you unique as a candidate and provide an example.
• Explain who have been the main influences who put you on this path and why they’ve influenced you.
• Mention other relevant experiences, such as memberships in clubs related to the subject, awards you might have won, or impressive papers you’ve written.
• Talk about your career aspirations and how the program ties into your goal of achieving them.

Depending on the guidelines of the specific university, you could also divide your academic personal statement’s body with subheadings, such as:

• Academic background
• Research interests
• Methodological approaches
• Research experience
• Personal experience
• Extracurricular activities 
• Relevant skills
• Career aspirations

A logical conclusion

Your academic personal statement needs a conclusion that ends on an enthusiastic note.

Make sure the conclusion reiterates the main points from the body of your text.

Your relevant accomplishments and desire to attend this specific program should be clear to any reader.

#6. Pay Attention to the Language

When writing the first draft of your academic personal statement, pay attention to the language and tone you’re using.

An academic personal statement is also a formal text, so your writing should reflect that. Colloquialisms aren’t appropriate, as they would take away from the well-mannered impression you want to give the admissions committee.

However, you also want your personal statement to be straightforward and avoid any complex jargon from your field of study.

For example, your opening sentence shouldn’t be overly complicated. You should communicate everything as clearly as possible, and be inclusive to those outside of your field of study since they might be on the admissions board that’s reading your academic personal statement.

Make sure that the tone throughout your text is positive and conveys your enthusiasm for the program. Your academic personal statement should show the admissions committee that you really want to be there, and why that’s beneficial to everyone involved.

#7. Proofread Your Statement

This step probably isn’t surprising to you but it’s worth paying attention to.

Your academic personal statement is a very formal document and it should be spotless. 

So, make sure it adheres to academic writing conventions . For example, contractions like “I’m” instead of “I am” are informal, and should be avoided.

Mistakes like these are very common when writing about yourself, particularly when you’re used to describing yourself in informal environments.

Carefully proofread your academic personal statement, then run it through a grammar checker like Grammarly or Quillbot, then proofread it again.

The tiniest grammar mistake or typo could make the admissions board reject your application.

Academic Personal Statement Example

Ever since my first encounter with the enchanting worlds spun by Flaubert, Balzac, and Proust, my intellectual pursuits have gravitated toward French literature. With an undergraduate degree focused on French Language and Literature, I have been fortunate to explore my passions both theoretically and empirically, embedding them within broader themes of cultural theory and comparative literature. It is with great excitement that I apply for the postgraduate research position in the French Literature program at Kent University, with the aim of contributing novel scholarly perspectives to this captivating field.

Academic Background and Research Interests

During my undergraduate studies, I delved deeply into the realms of 19th-century Realism and Naturalism. My senior thesis, which examined the dialectics of morality and social structures in Balzac's "La Comédie Humaine," was not merely an academic exercise; it served as a crucible where my theoretical understandings were rigorously tested. This research experience intensified my interest in the complex interplay between literature and societal norms, a theme I am eager to further explore in my postgraduate work.

Methodological Approaches

My academic approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary. I strongly believe that literature should not be studied in a vacuum; rather, it should be contextualized within historical, sociological, and psychological paradigms. During a semester abroad in Paris, I took courses in cultural anthropology and French history, an enriching experience that complemented my literature-focused studies. This holistic approach will enable me to contribute a multifaceted perspective to the research endeavors at Kent University.

Previous Research and Scholarly Engagements

My scholarly activities have also extended beyond the classroom. Last summer, I participated in an international conference on French Literature and Post-Colonial Theory, presenting a paper on the depictions of colonial landscapes in Dumas' adventure novels. The opportunity to engage with academics from various disciplines provided me with fresh insights and underscored the importance of collaborative research. Further, I've had the honor of having a review article published in the Sheffield Journal of Contemporary Literary Explorations, where I critiqued a groundbreaking new translation of Verne's works.

Extracurricular Contributions and Skills

In addition to my academic achievements, I have sought to enrich my department’s intellectual community. I served as the editor of our departmental journal and organized a series of seminars featuring guest speakers from the worlds of academia and publishing. My strong organizational skills, combined with proficiency in both written and spoken French and English, make me a versatile candidate capable of adding value to the French Literature program’s broader objectives.

To summarize, my deep-rooted passion for French literature, fortified by rigorous academic training and interdisciplinary methodologies, makes me an ideal candidate for the postgraduate research position in your esteemed program. The prospect of contributing to academic discourse at Kent University is an opportunity I find deeply compelling. I am especially excited about the potential for collaborative research and interdisciplinary inquiries, which aligns perfectly with my academic philosophy. I am fully committed to leveraging my skills, experiences, and enthusiasm to make a substantive scholarly contribution to the study of French Literature. Thank you for considering my application; I am keenly looking forward to the possibility of furthering my academic journey in this vibrant intellectual community.

FAQs on Academic Personal Statements

If you’re wondering anything else about academic personal statements, check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions related to them here:

#1. How do you start a personal statement for an academic job?

Applying for an academic job is different from applying for a position as a student. First, you need to establish your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role immediately.

Start by explaining your current status, for example, as a postdoctoral researcher or an experienced member of the faculty, and specify the position you are applying for. Then follow up with your research interests or personal philosophy towards teaching.

You can add a personal anecdote or compelling fact that summarizes your academic journey so far, or your passion for the field. After that, your academic personal statement can go deeper into the qualifications from your academic CV and how you’re a great fit for the position.

#2. How do I introduce myself in an academic personal statement?

The introduction of your academic personal statement is the key to grabbing the attention of the admissions committee.

Start by stating the field or subject that interests you, and why. You can share a specific personal anecdote or observation that led you to this academic pursuit and set the stage for the detailed explanation in your main body.

The goal of your introduction is to give the reader a sense of who you are, what drives you, and why you would be a valuable addition to their department.

#3. Is an academic personal statement like an essay?

Yes, an academic personal statement can be considered a type of essay.

Both essays and academic personal statements are structured forms of writing that are meant to deliver a coherent argument and are divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion. They provide supporting evidence to prove the point and maintain a logical flow to guide the reader to the final conclusion.

However, essays tend to be objective and explore a specific topic or question in depth. Academic personal statements use similar techniques but they present the candidate’s qualifications, experiences, and aspirations in a way that’s meant to persuade the admissions committee.

#4. How long is an academic personal statement?

Typically, an academic personal statement is between 500 and 1000 words long.

The exact length of the text varies depending on the university and program you’re applying to. You should always check the specific requirements for your desired program, and stick to the guidelines you find.

However, if the university you’re applying to doesn’t specify a word count, you should aim for one to two pages.

#5. What do I avoid in an academic personal statement?

Since your personal statement is a crucial part of your academic application, it’s important to avoid any common mistakes.

Make sure the content of your academic personal statement isn’t too generic. Its goal is to give insight into you as an individual, beyond what can be read in your CV . 

You should also avoid cramming too many points in your text. Your academic personal statement should follow a logical flow, and focus on the relevance of what you’re sharing about yourself and how it relates to the academic program you’re pursuing.

Key Takeaways

And that concludes our guide to writing an academic personal statement!

We hope you feel more confident when crafting your application for that academic program or faculty position you have your sights set on.

Now let’s recap what we talked about so far:

• Academic personal statements are very different from CV personal statements. While CV personal statements are brief paragraphs at the top of the page, an academic personal statement is an in-depth text that details why you’re interested in a given position, and what makes you a good candidate.
• The guidelines on academic personal statements vary according to the institution you’re applying to. Read the brief very carefully, and pay attention to what it says about word count and questions your personal statement should answer. Any mistakes here could result in rejection.
• There are differences between applying for a postgraduate program and applying for a faculty position. But in both cases, you should research the exact place you want to apply to and adjust your application accordingly to match the institution’s values.
• Always proofread your academic personal statement before sending it, even if you’re sure there are no errors.

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